This is the third lecture in Xavier's Ethics/Religion and Society Series | November 4, 2010

Michael Brownlee and Karen Lanphear address “Transition Towns—Inspiring Pathways to Community Resilience” in a presentation on Sunday, Nov. 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Schiff Conference Center at Xavier. The topic of their discussion, the Transition Movement, recognizes the problems communities face as cheap and plentiful oil becomes limited, climate change continues and economic crises unfold.

Transition Towns are led by grass-roots organizers who seek to reduce their community’s carbon footprint and dependence on fossil fuels leading to a more enjoyable, resilient and self-reliant existence. Transition Towns use the collective creativity and cooperation of the entire community to develop practical solutions and plan ahead for a healthy, bright and sustainable future. Originating in the United Kingdom, the movement grew to the United States where Brownlee and Lanphear have become its lead proponents.

Michael Brownlee is co-founder of Transition Colorado, formerly Transition Boulder County, which was the first officially recognized Transition Initiative in North America. He is also a founding member of the Boulder County Food and Agricultural Policy Council and a board member of Transition U.S.

Karen Lanphear, EdD, is a co-founder of the Sandpoint Transition Initiative in Sandpoint, Idaho. Sandpoint was the second recognized Transition Initiative after Boulder. She has co-authored several travel books and been active in setting up educational systems including helping design a community college system in the Middle East.

The lecture takes place in Xavier’s Cintas Center. It is free and open to the public. It is the third lecture in the Ethics/Religion and Society series, which aims to encourage ethical and/or religious analysis of socially significant issues. For 2010-2011, the focus is “Green Urbanism” under the general three-year theme of “Ecology and Sustainability.”